What You Should Know About Drinking Fluoridated Water

Posted January 21, 2018.

Fluoride can be very beneficial to your tooth enamel in healthy doses. The enamel is your outermost tooth layer that encases and shields your dentin and pulp from bacteria and infection. If the tooth enamel wears down, fluoride exposure can strengthen the weakened areas by repairing the enamel.The 1960s witnessed a proposition to add doses of fluoride to communal water supplies to help lower the risk of tooth decay in a process now known as “fluoridation.” Now, roughly two-thirds of the communities in the U.S. can drink fluoridated public water, and the majority of the largest cities in the nation add fluoride to their water supplies.However, be aware that large doses of fluoride can result in fluorosis for children, a condition that, in mild cases, causes their teeth to develop white streaks, and severe cases can lead to brown stains and shattered tooth enamel. Adults who have fully developed teeth are not at risk of fluorosis. And the good news for children is that the CDC regulates the concentration levels of fluoride in public water so that even if your child is exposed to additional sources of fluoride, including fluoride treatments or toothpaste, the amount of fluoride is sufficient to prevent tooth decay without causing fluorosis.If your teeth seem prone to tooth decay or you have concerns about drinking fluoridated water in Charlotte, North Carolina, we invite you to speak with Dr. Vaibhav Bajaj, our dentist. You are welcome to contact Charlotte Dental Esthetics at 704-926-5162 today.